Mathematics isn’t just a subject to me. It isn’t just what I do; it’s who I am.
Realising that I have “Math sense” and am able to appreciate Mathematical concepts, my parents signed me up for Math Olympiads in Primary 4 such as SASMO without much formal training. I also participated in NMOS in Primary 5 (attained Silver), but my passion transcends organised competitions.
I enjoy reading books and comics about Math; some of the mathematicians I admire include Carl Friedrich Gauss, Leonhard Euler, Terence Tao, Alan Turing and the inventor of algebra Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, among many others.
This year, my mother’s marketing colleagues asked me to help design a creative mathematical formula that illustrates the firm’s investment capabilities and values, to make them appear “smarter” compared to their competitors. This was what I came up with:
The formula embodies the firm’s values and investment capabilities in a creative way, where:
- S (Smart): represents the firm’s smart fund managers will make smart investments;
- E (Experience): represents the investment team’s deep experience
- D (Diverse): represents the diversity of global assets that the firm invests
- Β (beta): means that the firm invests with reduced volatility and risks
It shows that mathematics can be fun and innovative.
In Primary 5, I also created my own formula for arithmetic sequences, simply to demonstrate to my school teacher that it’s possible to solve a problem with algebra, without having to draw models dogmatically.
Last year, I qualified for the prestigious Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) gifted education program. This achievement allowed me to enroll in their advanced courses for schoolchildren such as “Cryptology: Math and Codes”. The course helped to deepen my understanding of the intricate relationship between mathematics and encryption, further honing my problem-solving skills in complex areas of cryptography.
Cryptography is becoming increasingly important in modern day, as it is used to protect all kinds of data in areas like digital wallets, secure network communications and so on.
Below are my achievements in Math Olympiads (MOs) in recent years, with a Silver in NMOS and Gold in SASMO in 2023.
Aside from Math, I am also fascinated in Science. I have also been tinkering with home science experiments since Primary 3 to pique my curiosity.
These experiments have straddled various fields in Science; from building a simple water filtration system to igniting iron wool, and exploring chromatography, each experiment has been a stepping stone in my understanding
As I progressed, the complexity of my experiments grew. Now in Primary 6, I have reached a level of independence that allows me to design and execute experiments on my own. I recently tried to make a zinc-carbon battery by mixing some manganese dioxide MnO2 with graphite C. I showed my mum when she came home and she took a video of it.
The experiments are fun and useful as they prepare me not only for academic success in school but for a lifelong pursuit of innovation and discovery in science and technology.
As I look towards secondary school, my goal is not just to learn, but to contribute. I am eager to collaborate with peers who are equally passionate about finding innovative solutions to global challenges.
With a foundation built on countless experiments at home, I am ready to take my first steps into a future where I can make a significant impact through science.
Math Awards
- 2023 NMOS Silver
- 2023 SASMO Silver, Gold
- 2022 AMO Bronze
- 2021 AMO Bronze
